1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to chemical testing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
There are available in the prior art various devices and procedures for facilitating the running of medical tests. Certain devices and procedures marketed by applicants' assignee pre-package some of the reagents for a given test in the test cuvette and precalibrate the meter used in the test. Other devices separate the test specimens by bubbles and move the test specimens along a tube whereby sequential testing is accomplished in a completely automatic fashion. These devices are subject to certain disadvantages. For example, the use of a single cuvette in a colorimeter is a slow process because only one cuvette can be tested in the colorimeter at a time. Also, the steps involved in running the test depend in some degree on the skill and knowledge of the operator. For example, the operator may or may not properly mix the reagents and the specimen. Also, the above mentioned "bubble" separation test procedure is a very expensive device which is only appropriate in the larger laboratories and hospitals where substantial numbers of tests are carried out in a given period of time.
Certain other prior art is disclosed in the following articles: "Analytical Techniques for Cell Fractions" from Analytical Biochemistry 28, pp. 545-562 (1969); "Computer Interfaced Fast Analyzers" from Science, Oct. 17, 1969, Volume 166, Number 3903; and "Analytical Techniques for Cell Fractions" from Analytical Biochemistry 23, pp. 207-218 (1968) all of which relate to the simultaneous use of a centrifuge and a photometer. Other prior art is disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
2,663,461 Brown Dec. 22, 1953 PA1 2,861,572 Hinde et al. Nov. 25, 1958 PA1 2,984,146 Kwart et al. May 16, 1961 PA1 3,026,764 Allen et al. March 27, 1962 PA1 3,050,239 Williams, Jr. Aug. 21, 1962 PA1 3,344,702 Wood et al. Oct. 3, 1967 PA1 3,415,627 Rait Dec. 10, 1968 PA1 3,452,924 Schultz July 1, 1969 PA1 3,477,822 Hamilton Nov. 11, 1969 PA1 3,481,712 Bernstein et al. Dec. 2, 1969 PA1 3,497,320 Blackburn et al. Feb. 24, 1970 PA1 3,713,775 Schmitz Jan. 30, 1973